How to Decorate a Girl's Small Bedroom

by Kristine Lofgren

Your little princess can enjoy her own modest castle.

Decorating a girl’s bedroom allows your inner child to play with that of your daughter. As you have fun, hold in mind that at the heart of any decorating scheme, it is vital to make the space usable. This is particularly important in decorating small room.

Function

The most important factor in any decorating scheme is function. A room can be pretty, but if it isn’t functional, it won’t do you much good. The essential pieces to any girl’s bedroom are a bed and storage. To best use the space, look for tall dressers and beds with a small footprint. This means avoiding sleigh beds or other beds with a large frame. Once you have the essentials in place, you can begin to work on the fun stuff.

Space Concerns

A small room calls for a few tricks to help make it feel comfortable and to use the space available. Wall lockers or shelves with baskets on them add storage for toys or clothes without taking up floor space. Hooks also provide additional storage for frequently needed items such as jackets, coats and shoes. Take advantage the often over-looked space over the head of the bed by hanging wall shelves, which provide storage for books, art supplies or hobby items. Choose accessories and furniture that are small to avoid bringing attention to the size of the room.

Multi-Tasking

In a small room, sometimes the best option is to make items do double duty. Put a small desk next to a bed to act as a desk and a nightstand. If there is space in the closet, consider removing the doors and hanging a curtain over one side of the closet, while using the other side to house a desk or nightstand. Provide a seating area that can double as storage by putting a bench that opens or has drawers at the end of the bed.

Personality

Part of the fun in decorating a room is being able to reflect the personality of the girl that lives there. Choose pillows, throw blankets or art in her favorite colors. Frame book covers, magazine articles or posters of her favorite characters and people. Allow her to choose the decor for a wall by hanging corkboard along a section of wall and letting her imagination run wild.

Themes

An easy to way to decorate a room is to establish a theme. Princess themes are a perennial favorite and leave plenty of room for imagination. Hang a canopy over a bed to create a princess bed and decorate the room with art and figures that reflect her favorite princess story. Animal lovers appreciate pictures and stuffed animals throughout the room. Take it a step further and convert a picket fence to a bed headboard for a farm theme or hang wide strips of fabric over the bed to simulate a circus.

About the Author

Kristine Lofgren specializes in interior design, Web design, photography and gardening. She owns an interior design business in Salt Lake City. A graduate of Salt Lake Community College's interior design program, Lofgren is pursuing a Master of Arts in journalism from the University of Utah.

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